Eating out

ssjones999

This is a major issue for me as we travel A LOT on the weekends. Any advice? My kids play travel sports so we are constantly eating out. I try to make good food choices, but it is not easy.

nordlead2005

Pack the food and bring it with you in a cooler? Just because you travel doesn't mean you can't eat a home made meal.

Or, go to chain restaurants where the nutritional information has to be provided. Or, at a non-chain restaurant ask them if they know how many calories are in the dish. There are lots of options and I haven't even covered them all.

mylittlerainbow

When I can, I read and study the menu in advance (and try to find posted nutrition info, which many restaurants provide online and on their menus). Failing everything, I have a salad with no dressing.

RodaRose

Eat a half portion. Put part of it in a to-go box before you start eating. Or simply give it to one of the kids or throw it away.
Order grilled or baked or steamed chicken/fish/other meat with veggies. Skip the bread.
Go to a place that has a salad bar and be mindful about the amount of calories in the cheese and croutons.
Go to a hamburger place, order a cheese burger and skip the bun.
Go to Wendy's and order a small chili with a baked potato.
Go to Taco Bell and order two crunchy tacos with cheddar cheese and lettuce for 340 calories.
Go to a place that serves breakfast food because bacon and eggs (without the bread depending on your calories) is usually a reasonable amount of calories.

kyley_ann

I try to look at the menu in advance, whenever I can, and pick what I will have to eat ahead of time. (It's easier to settle on the healthy choice when you're not hungry, sitting across the aisle from someone enjoying a plate full of fries.)

If you go to the same places regularly, pick out some tasty, healthy stand-bys that you know you enjoy and don't let yourself look further on the menu.

Also, just because you're going to indulge a little, doesn't mean you need to indulge all the way. For example, if you really want that burger, consider getting it with a side of broccoli instead of fries.

Also, I travel a lot for work, which means eating out often. It's hard! But I've found it's important to make sure your eating really well the rest of the day, if you plan on going to dinner. For example, a yogurt and banana for breakfast, and a salad with chicken for lunch might give you the calorie budget for something that's more of an indulgence.

Good luck!

callsitlikeiseeit

i eat out all the time. fast food and chains mostly all have calorie counts on their websites. otherwise, i try to reconstruct the recipe as best i can and add in extra for hidden calories that arent obvious

pookle21

I feel your pain! When I'm super focused on counting calories, I sometimes get stressed out about eating out. Chain restaurants are generally pretty good about having the nutrition posted somewhere online. I usually try to stick to a couple chains and meals that I know fit my goals for ease. There's also a new android app that just came out called KayKal that helps you find restaurants nearby based on your inputted calorie goals, might be worth a try